Video capture systems, such as video camera surveillance systems, capture video of various scenes. Video captured by a video capture system is captured at a resolution that may correspond to the video capture sensor in a video camera. The resolution of the video refers to the number of columns and rows of pixels that make up the image of the video. The higher the resolution of a video, the more pixels are in each image of the video. Consequently, more data is needed in a computer system to represent more pixels.
Many modern video cameras can capture video at resolutions greater than that which can be displayed by many modern display systems, such as computer monitors. The display system may be connected to a video capture system via a communication network, such as an Ethernet or Internet. The video capture system may transfer the captured video to a lower resolution display system. Since more data is needed to represent higher resolution video, it follows that more bandwidth is used to transmit the data of higher resolution video. Likewise, more processing is needed in the display system to allow the higher resolution video to be displayed on a lower resolution display.
Overview
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods to reduce the resolution of video before transference to a display system. In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving viewing parameters for a viewing area on a display system and receiving video of a scene comprising a quantity of pixels in each of a plurality of images of the scene. The method further includes, modifying the video based on the viewing parameters to produce modified video having a reduced quantity of pixels in each of the plurality of images and transferring the modified video for display of at least a portion of the scene in the viewing area by the display system.
In some embodiments modifying the video based on the viewing parameters to produce the modified video comprises scaling a resolution of the video to a new resolution compatible with the viewing area on the display system.
In some embodiments scaling the resolution of the video to the new resolution comprises reducing the resolution of the video.
In some embodiments modifying the video based on the viewing parameters to produce the modified video comprises cutting pixels from the video.
In some embodiments modifying the video based on the viewing parameters to produce the modified video comprises zooming in on the portion of the scene in the video.
In some embodiments modifying the video based on the viewing parameters to produce the modified video comprises scaling a resolution of the video and cropping the video.
In some embodiments the video processing system segments each of the plurality of images into segments and wherein modifying the video comprises modifying each of the segments in each of the plurality of images and then reassembling the modified segments into the modified video.
In some embodiments the video processing system determines whether a second video processing system has excess processing capacity and transferring the video of the scene to the second video processing system to modify the video.
In some embodiments the video processing system receives the same viewing parameters for a second viewing area on a second display system and transferring the modified video for display of at least a portion of the scene in the second viewing area by the second display system.
In another embodiment, a video processing system receives viewing parameters for a viewing area on a display system. The processing system also receives video of a scene comprising a quantity of pixels in each of a plurality of images of the scene. The processing system then modifies the video based on the viewing parameters to produce modified video having a reduced quantity of pixels in each of the plurality of images. The modified video is transferred for display of at least a portion of the scene in the viewing area by the display system.
In a further embodiment, a video capture device is configured to capture video of a scene comprising a quantity of pixels in each of a plurality of images of the scene and transfer the video. A video processing system is configured to receive the video transferred by the video capture device and receive viewing parameters for a viewing area on a display system. The video processing system is further configured to modify the video based on the viewing parameters to produce modified video having a reduced quantity of pixels in each of the plurality of images and transfer over a network the modified video for display of at least a portion of the scene in the viewing area by the display system. The display system in communication with the video processing system over the network is configured to transfer the viewing parameters and receive the modified video. The display system is further configured to display the modified video.